The Complete Urban Sketching Companion (Urban Sketching Handbooks)

by Shari Blaukopf, Stephanie Bower, and Gabriel Campanario

[annieb123]

Originally published on my blog: Nonstop Reader.

The Complete Urban Sketching Companion is a tutorial guide for multiple techniques for sketching "in the wild". Due out 18th Aug 2020 from Quarto on their Quarry imprint the book is a compilation of previously released material (from the other books in the Urban Sketching series) plus some additional commentary and content. It's 256 pages and will be available in paperback format.

This is a concise and well made book covering some essential concepts for sketching backgrounds in an urban setting. The emphasis is on speed, fluidity, building technique and consistency, distilling often chaotic and kinetic reality down in the sketchbook reliably and aesthetically. Although the book is aimed at moderately advanced students to professionals, there are takeaways here for artists of every level.

The layout is logical; the first section introduces the tools, supplies and techniques, including a valuable subchapter on etiquette and valuing one's own work and growth as an artist.

The study tutorials are arranged thematically: architecture & cityscapes, understanding perspective, people & motion, and working with color. The overall feel of the book is rich in technique, useful, and varied and I saw so many things which got my fingers itching to jump in and start drawing. I think most (non)artists are a lot more shy about drawing on paper/media and this book has a lot of good suggestions for picking up materials and making a start.

Five stars. I really liked this book and will definitely use it going forward for my own drawing sessions. I would recommend it to artists of all levels. It could also make a valuable text for more formal classroom/group type instruction. There's a *lot* of information included here. The books from which the information in this volume was distilled are: The Urban Sketching Handbooks--Architecture and Cityscapes, Understanding Perspective, People and Motion, Working with Color. The authors have also included a useful checklist of personal goal challenges to tick off as they're achieved (draw an alley, a skyline, draw stairs going up and down from the vantage point, draw a meal as if the dishes were transparent, draw on paper which isn't white, draw people in a bar, sketch the same scene at different times of day, and many more). The challenge checklist could also make a nice starting point for assignments in a classroom or lecture setting.

Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.